DIGITALEUROPE applauds today’s adoption of the adequacy decision for Japan. This decision provides an important model for international personal data transfers. It will increase investment, innovation and cooperation between the European Union and Japan along with the upcoming entry into force of the EU- Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) on 1 February.

Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director-General of DIGITALEUROPE, commented: “Data flows and economic partnership are vital to unleash the potential of both Europe’s and Japan’s digital economy. We commend the European Commission and the Japanese government for their considerable work on adequacy. It is now up to industry to make the best out of the new opportunities that the adequacy decision and the EPA will enable.”

The adequacy decision creates the world’s largest area of safe personal data transfers subject to Europe’shigh level of protection. It was the result of careful assessment of Japan’s data protection rules and of extensive negotiations between the European Commission and Japanese authorities. Japan has undertaken a considerable reform of its legal framework and has offered strong commitments to ensure a level of protection essentially equivalent to the GDPR.

With the imminent coming into effect of the EPA, the existing strategic collaboration between Europe and Japan will be further reinforced by creating a trade zone of 600 million people covering a third of global GDP. EU companies already now export over €58 billion in goods and €28 billion in services to Japan every year.

Both the adequacy decision and the EPA will promote the EU’s and Japan’s social and economic agendas, leading to new long-term commercial opportunities.